Hard Knocks: A Look Back

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One of the worst things about the NFL lockout that ended more than a month ago was the fact that HBO didn't get a chance to set up a new season of their Emmy-winning show Hard Knocks.

The HBO show began back in 2001 in the training camp of the then-defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and chronicled the battles for job in camp and the trials and tribulations that NFL rookies go through.

The next year brought us a look inside the Dallas Cowboys' training camp when the stars of the show were roster hopefuls like quarterback Chad Hutchinson and undersized wide receiver Richmond Flowers, who became fast friends and can be remembered for their stirring rendition of Poison's 80s rock ballad "Every Rose Has It's Thorn".

It was moments like that that made the show great (tongue in cheek).

Now, HBO is airing a Hard Knocks special that takes a look back over the history of the season which is airing multiple times over the next couple of weeks on all the HBO networks.

There will also likely be a lot of Cowboys stuff from the 2008 season when the Cowboys came in basically penciled in win the Super Bowl and of course proceeded to miss the postseason despite having a great cast of characters for television like Tank Johnson and Pac-Man Jones.

So far, the best season, in my opinion, has been last year when they were in New York Jets camp with the always-funny Rex Ryan and an in depth look at quarterback Mark Sanchez.

As bad of karma as the show has meant to the Cowboys, you can bet your bottom dollar that if approached again, Jerry Jones would be all over it.